Child&#39;s pocketed target game apparatus



March 16, 1954 w. L. SCOTT CHILDS POCKETED TARGET GAME APPARATUS Filed April 25, 1952 IN V EN TOR: Mum/e. L. J'corr flTTORNEX Patented Mar. 16, 1954 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE CHILDS POCKETED TARGET GAME APPARATUS Walter L. Scott, Long Beach, Calif. Application April 25, 1952, Serial No. 284,228

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a device primarily for the amusement of children and also designed to test the ability of children to direct a ball or other object against a target and to teach children the art of judging the speed and direction of throwing such missiles.

It is the object of the invention to provide a device in the form of a cabinet into which missiles may be projected and prominently displayed. With this and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combinations hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing of which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a substantially corresponding, crosssectional end view of the device; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device with a door thereof in open position to disclose the interior construction thereof.

The device of the invention, in the form illustrated in the drawing, includes a cabinet I, the front wall of which is fitted with an upper door 2 and a lower door Ill, both of which are hung to swing outward on a horizontal bar 4. This bar is positioned a distance above the vertical center of the cabinet. The upper door is held closed by suitable means, such as a latch 5 and it will by gravity drop into the position indicated in Fig. 3 when the latch is swung out of the way. A cord 6 extends from the interior of the cabinet to the door to maintain the door in this open position.

The lower door I0 is hung to swing upwardly, as best shown in Fig. 3, and it is at the bottom thereof fitted with a resilient clip H which is shaped to engage a stud l2 at the bottom of the cabinet normally to maintain the door in closed position. A handle l3 projects from the door to facilitate operation thereof. In addition, it is noticed that a series of perforations I l-I8 are cut through the door for the purpose which will now be explained.

Wtihin the cabinet are placed a row of partitions 20, 2|, 22, 23 reaching from top to bottom thereof. The upper ends of the partitions are shown equidistantly spaced apart to provide five spaces forming chutes at which the balls or other objects are aimed in playing the game. Between these partitions are mounted inclined plates 24, 25, 26, 2'! and 28 and these plates are so positioned directly behind the openings through the lower door that any one of the missiles thrown by the player and landing in one of the chutes will be guided into the door opening in front of the plate, substantially as indicated in Fig. 2. In this case,

a ball A has been used and when this ball is slightly larger than the diameter of the opening, it will be held in this opening to show that a hit has successfully been made. Each player may be given an equal number of balls and the player who lands a ball in each opening, using the smallest number of balls, wins the game. But of course, difierent rules of playing the game may be adopted.

Where rubber balls are used, it may be found most enticing to throw the ball on the floor at such speed and so directed that it will rebound and land on the open upper door, substantially as indicated in phantom outline in Fig. 2. When the door is held in the slightly inclined position indicated in the drawing, it is found that the ball will roll down into one of the chutes until arrested by the inclined plate in this chute and guided into the opening of the door.

In cases where it is desired to aim the missile directly toward the chutes, it may be found preferable to use a bean bag, such as commonly used in children's games, which will not rebound when striking the target but will sink through a chute into one of the openings.

When the player has used up his balls, or filled all the door openings, it is merely required to swing the door upward on its hinges, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the missiles will drop to the floor.

The cabinet should be of a size and shape best suited for the purposes of the game and it may be suitably decorated to enhance its appearance. It may, for example, be found advantageous so to arranged the openings in the door that they represent human or animal facial features, and an outline of a face may beadded such as shown in Fig. 1. The handle i 3 may be placed to represent the nose of the face and it may be made to project outwardly far enough to provide an additional target against which rubber rings may be aimed. The cabinet, being tall and slender, should be suitably supported and it is for this purpose shown mounted on a wide base 30.

It is seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a very simple and convenient game combination which may be played in various ways and in any place where floor or ground space is available. But while I have herein described a. preferred form of the invention, I reserve the right to embody therein modifications within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

I claim:

1. A game including a cabinet and spherical missiles to be aimed at the cabinet, the cabinet having therein a series of partitions extending downwardly from the top thereof to form chutes of a size freely to receive therein the missiles, a door horizontally mounted on the face of the cabinet to swing downwardly, an element between the door and the cabinet to support the opened door in slightly inwardly inclined position, a second door below said first named door horizontally mounted on the face: of the cabinet to swing upwardly, said second door having openings therethrough in registration with said chutes, and inclined plates in the chutes directly behind said door openings for guiding missiles passing down the chutes into the openings, the diameter of the door opening being slightly less than the diameter of the missiles.

2. A game including a cabinet and spherical: missiles to be aimed at the cabinet, the cabinet having therein a series of partitions extending downwardly from the top thereof to form chutes of a size freely to receive therein the missiles, a door horizontally mounted on the face of the cabinet to swing downwardly, anelement between the door and the cabinet to support the opened door in slightly inwardly inclined position, a latch for maintainin the door in closed position, a second door below said first named door horizontally mounted on the face of the cabinet to swing upwardly, said second door having openings therethrough in registration with said chutes,

and. inclined plates in the chutes directly behind said door openings forguiding missiles passing down the chutes. into the openings, the diameter of the door opening being slightly less than the diameter of the missiles.

3. A game including an open face cabinet and spherical missiles tov be aimed at the cabinet, the cabinet having therein a series of partitions extending from top to bottom thereof to form chutes of a size freely to; receive the missiles therein, a bartransversely spanning. the open face of the cabinet, two doors: mounted on said bar one above the other to close the open iace of the cabinet, the upper door; being hinged on the bar for outwardly and downwardly swinging movement thereon, an element extending from the cabinet to maintain the opened door in slightly inwardly inclined position, a latch at the top of the cabinet to maintain the door closed position, the lower door being hinged on the bar for upward swinging movement, a. handle on the lower door for convenient operation thereof, av resilient clip at the bottom of the door, a, stud in, the cabinet for receiving said clip yieldingly to maintain the door closed, these being openings in the door in registration with the cabinet chutes and slightly smaller in diameter than the missiles, and a plate in each chute directly behind each door opening, the plates being downwardly inclined to guide the missiles into the door openings, the diameter of the door opening, being slightly less than the diameter of the missiles.

4. A game including an open face cabinet and spherical missiles to be aimed at the cabinet, the cabinet having therein a series of partitions extending from top to bottom thereof to form chutes of a size freely to receive the missiles therein, a bar transversely spanning the open face of the cabinet, two doors mounted on said bar one above the other to close the open face of the cabinet, the upper door being hinged on the bar for outwardly and downwardly swinging movement thereon, an element extending from the cabinet to maintain, the opened door in slightly inwardly inclined position, a latch. at the top of the cabinet to maintain. the door in closed position, the lower door being hinged on the. bar for upward swinging movement, a. handle on the lower door for convenient operation thereof, said handle being. shaped to: receive thereon annual missiles aimed thereat, aresilient. clip; at the bottom of the door, a. stud in the cabinet for receiving said clip yieldingly to. maintain the door closed, these being openings in the door in registration with the cabinet chutes and slightly smaller in diameter than the missiles, and. a plate in each chute directly behind each door opening, the plates being downwardly inclined to guide the missiles intothe door openings, the diameter of the door opening being slightly less than the diameter of the missiles.

WALTER L. SCOTT.

Eeferences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name Date 175,254 Oberly Mar. 28, 1876 1,918,094. Geekas. July 11, 1933 1,935,174 Bisaillon- Nov. 14, 1933 2 257,602 Hansell Sept. 30, 1941 2,372,608 Shackleiord Mar. 27, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 389,655 Great Britain Mar. 23-, 1933 

